LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The high school graduation rate in California ranks in the bottom half of all U.S. states, with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s own graduation rate well below the state’s, according to data released Tuesday.

But LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO that even with his district’s rate of 64 percent — which is far below the state average — the number is gradually trending upward.

“We want to actually be at 80 percent…that is our goal, to move this from 64 [percent] to 80 in three years,” Deasy said.

According to the study, which used a more standardized method of calculating graduation rates nationwide, California was tied with Washington, West Virginia, and Utah at 76 percent, far below the highest rate of 88…